Below is an OCFA Press Release detailing deployment of FIRIS and increased staff during the current extreme Red Flag Warning period.

NEW FIRIS PROGRAM PROVIDING

CRITICAL WILDFIRE INTEL

And OCFA Supports Neighboring Fires While Maintain Increased Local Staffing

Irvine, CA – October 29, 2019 – Since being launched nearly two months ago, the new Fire Integrated Real-Time Intelligence System (FIRIS) pilot program aircraft has flown more than a dozen missions and provided enhanced situational awareness to numerous fire agencies. Knowing the fire perimeter and the direction a wind-driven fire is moving has helped decision-makers on the ground determine where to put resources and more importantly which communities to evacuate.

The FIRIS program is fast becoming one of the first air resources requested by Southern California fire agencies when a wildfire breaks out. The ability of the fixed-wing aircraft, equipped with cameras and infrared and radar sensors that can see through smoke, to provide real-time fire perimeter mapping and live high definition video has made a positive difference for incident commanders and decision-makers located in local Command Centers. Data sent from the twin-engine fixed-wing aircraft has also supported the UC San Diego WIFIRE Laboratory that uses its supercomputer to provide a fire spread progression model to be shared with the incident and command center staff.

In addition to the high tech tools being used by the FIRIS pilot program aircraft, Orange County Fire Authority has been supporting its neighbors in Los Angeles with boots on the ground. Currently, four OCFA strike teams are assisting with the Getty Fire. More than 80 firefighters assigned to ten Type 3 brush rigs, and ten Type 1 fire engines are helping to contain the blaze. In addition, the Southern California Edison (SCE) funded night-time hover-filling helitanker and reconnaissance helicopter are also providing support to the Getty Fire. Two of strike teams had previously been assigned to the Tick Fire with the additional two responding upon immediate request of Los Angeles Fire Department.

Neighboring Fires While Maintain Increased Local Staffing

More than a dozen firefighters of various levels, from Division Chief to firefighter, are also providing management and logistics support at the Tick and Kinkade fires.

“Nothing will replace the need for firefighters on the ground battling out of control wildfires. And I appreciate what our men and women do every day,” said Orange County Fire Authority Fire Chief Brian Fennessy. “I am also thankful that through collaboration, the FIRIS technology is helping to make a difference in decision-making which ultimately leads to suppressing wildfires more quickly.”

With critical fire weather predicted through the week, OCFA continues to have increased staffing in order to quickly respond to any wildfire that breaks out in our service territory. More than 100 additional firefighters are ready to respond in a moment’s notice. They’re staffing the following:

10 – Type 1 Fire Engines

5 – Type 3 Brush Rigs

2 – Dozers

3 – Helicopters

2 – Hand Crews

5 – Type 6 Patrols

The community is asked to remain diligent during this critical fire weather. If the wind is blowing, refrain from yard work with motorized equipment, never drive or park on dry grass, and throw cigarettes or other smoking materials properly in containers. For my tips, please visit OCFA.org/rsg.

As a long-time advocate for the California Fire Museum and Safety Learning Center, and for preserving the heritage of our California firefighters in a permanent facility in the Great Park, I’m honored to be featured in the Summer 2019 issue of Orange County Firefighter, the official publication of the Orange County Fire Services Association, in an article highlighting Irvine’s agreement to designate 5 acres of the Great Park as the new home of the California Fire Museum – Safety Learning Center.

I’m excited to see recognition of the importance of fire safety and for preserving and celebrating our California firefighter heritage!

The mission of the California Fire Museum is:

To preserve and protect the history and heritage of the fire service in general, with special emphasis on the California Fire Services.

To collect, restore, preserve and exhibit apparatus, equipment, art and artifacts of the firefighting profession.

To provide life safety, fire safety and fire prevention education to the community.

To educate the public about firefighters, firefighting and emergency services.

One of the accomplishments I’m most proud of as a public official is advocating as a member of the board of directors of the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) for the selection of Brian Fennessy as our new Fire Chief.

OCFA Chief Brian Fennessy is one of the nation’s most respected leaders in the crucial field of emergency management.

Recently, Fire Chief Fennessy was invited by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to present his perspective on emergency management leadership to a national audience.

In his talk, titled “Building a Mission-Driven Culture,” Chief Fennessy shares the values of a mission-driven culture and the importance of intent-based leadership in emergency management.

Chief Fennessy also discusses his path to leadership and why he firmly believes that a mission-driven culture is critical to organizational success in times of chaos and during daily operations.

All of us involved in emergency response and management — first responders, public officials, citizen volunteers — will benefit from the wisdom and experience of OCFA Chief Brian Fennessy in this extremely timely talk.

As a long-time advocate for the California Fire Museum and Safety Learning Center, and for preserving the heritage of our California firefighters in a permanent facility in the Great Park, I am thrilled that at my urging the Irvine City Council and the Fire Museum have now agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding for five acres in the Great Park to be designated by the City of Irvine for a 31,000 sq. state-of-the-art, interactive, sensory immersive Fire Museum and Safety Learning Center.

The mission of the California Fire Museum is:

To preserve and protect the history and heritage of the fire service in general, with special emphasis on the California Fire Services.

To collect, restore, preserve and exhibit apparatus, equipment, art and artifacts of the firefighting profession.

To provide life safety, fire safety and fire prevention education to the community.

To educate the public about firefighters, firefighting and emergency services.

You can read my blog post from August 2018 urging the Irvine City Council to support a Fire Museum at the Great Park HERE.

As a Board Member of the Orange County Fire Authority, I am proud to help promote OCFA’sGirls Empowerment Camp!

Girls Empowerment Camp is a freetwo-day camp open to teenagers 14-18 that introduces them to the fire service and provides campers with a realistic, hands-on overview of firefighting.

The camp exposes the teens to all aspects of a fire service career beginning with requirements. The program also empowers campers with life skills and professional guidance that encourages them to pursue a career in public safety. The camp is being held at the Orange County Fire Authority Training Center, located on 1 Fire Authority Road in Irvine.

The free 2-day camp will feature six hands-on stations for the campers to gain familiarity and experience with fire service functions.

I had the opportunity yesterday in Sacramento to attend the introduction of “Captain Cal” — CAL FIRE’s Fire’s new ambassador for fire safety and prevention — to the people of California.

Chief Thom Porter, the Director of California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, announced that Captain Cal’s primary mission is to help expand CAL FIRE’s educational outreach and to teach children about emergency preparedness, fire safety and prevention, safe and sane fireworks, and water safety.

Climate change, couple with population growth, has drastically increased the frequency, severity and destructiveness of wildfires. Ten of the 20 most destructive fires in California history have occurred since 2015.

In 2018 alone, more than 2 million acres of California’s forests burned. The combination of many years of drought followed by recent heavy rains means that we should expect more severe fires again this year.

Under Governor Gavin Newsom and Chief Porter, the State of California is significantly increasing it’s commitment to wildfire prevention and response, as well as education, in the face of these new conditions.

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox speaks to City Council on behalf of OC veterans, urging the City Council to set aside land in the Great Park as a final resting place for Orange County veterans